The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-30
AN EAST SIDE CLUB HOUSE,
A DESCRIPTION or a MERRY CIRCLE
THAT WILL ANSWER FOR ALI.

Members Arc No Dudcs, but they Keeu
the Young Fellows Out OF tho Saloons.
An old woman walked YEARLY through one
Of tho most populous east side streets on
Thursday morning and labored painfully up q
rfckety flight Of wooden stairs that sprawed
out over the sidewalk. She stopped moment
on the well-worn stoop. and then, producing
huge brass key from the cavernous depths OF
pocket In her dress. fitted 1t In the door. and
moment later pushed the door back on it's
breaking hinges and entered tho hall. flight
Of stairs. covered with q ragged carpet. faced
her. but she paid no attention to 1t. Another
key was flshed up from her pocket, and used
In opening door on her right hand. This ad-
mitted her into big suvare room that was q
marvel OF disorder.
A long wooden bench with stiff back was
standing up In one corner, dozon chairs Of
the cheap meeting-room pattern were scat
tered about. while three Handicapped tables
stood in the centre Of the room. Tho floor
was covered with linoleum that was worn In
holes at frequent intervals. The walls were
covered with paper Of gaudy pattern that
was hidden here and thore by cheap pictures
Of prominent men. George Washington in his
familiar attitude OF sitting on one leg and
blessing his youngest child. while his wife
looked on encouragingly. occupied q choice
place over the mantel. Gen. Grant, with
his face turned toward tho tail Of his horse
and frantically waving his sword. was on tho
opposite wall. James G.. Blaine and Grover
Cleveland were side by side. and In an obscure
corner was picture Of a country scene that
showed a lot OF COWS standing on three legs,
and placidly chewing their cuds with theiI
noses on o line with their spines. cheap
clock licked merrily away on a rude shelf
Half dozen spittoons were poked away in
a bo, nh Inv xvar NJ aa yonfanf
as the floor. This impression was strength.
ened by the cigar stumps. the little mounds Of
ashes. and the stains OF tobacco Juice that were
Two big. many,paned windows looked out
tains, through which the sunlight sifted. In
the centre Of each Of these curtains was paint:
cd en- n fbs h Wiz
re neishborho9d kne ~, that these letters were
SIDE. and every ward can an b boast Of at least
I'D Who The on
the shs had the t. S,ss
the windows as frequently as her system would
STAND # and to The FURNITURE %iS lust IS
open both Windows Vi ID Then she resurrected an
veoDed 50 soad dust s ton
msnt h mads The si Hoss o
more conspicuous. and surrounded them with
2 little higher mounds where more dirt had
4 along the wan; The chairs were set 50 that
and then she eovertly drew out the drawera
that were hidden under the the, circular tables,
sortment OF cards, domtnoes, checkers, chess.
sorted out and placsd in different sompart:
With q gieefui ehuckie that there were ave
packs Of cards. She placed two packs In heE
Ss wRo YOU'D give her senty cents
for them for they were plenty good enough to
PIT Then nt the windows we're pulled down. the
door carefully locked, and the old woman dis
appeared, to return again the next day and do
NJ The Club room remanod deserted until after
hen goq abss threw
Rimss into chair p and clay
pipe. He bore about him the marks Of a hard
Sn Els har a a his back
tache was stubby. His hands were large and
rough: A few MINUTES later another m. man, the
tered about In little groups bHsily talking and
smoking; The room was filled with waving
IN toss you for the drinks" said voice.
suggestion fought with piessarable eSpecta-
tion. A coin was hieked up, and a dozen fin.
gers pointed out the loser, and a dozen hearty
spatched for the beer. He came, back shortly
passed around d, and every man drank from il
with keen instinct that told { him when his
that the nell loser should drink last. and on these
occasions the unfortunate can always be picked
out by the agitation that fills him as he breath;
reaches him he always drinks all that 1t con:
tains. with an allusion to himself as SUCKER"
drnRsrs and drss Pant night Is thes
allow themselves. They sit around and chat
and tell stories. when the conversation be-
man was the first to tell a story on this night
It was forced out Of him by his feelings when
He played 2 2; dirty trick on me-" said the
vi SFfSS hp tho
story, and he related his grievance In this way:
had only been IN this country few years
loon, had q few hundred dollars and hired
saloon in Grand street did a pretty good
%arry MY an Wife 'e and got tn eIons nicely IN
spite Of the fact that always closed my saloon
passing Dams saloon. and he invited, mo in.
He treated pretty often; and got full: 19 t
All the treating myself. ! noticed that Dan de;
layed the orders once or twice and ne excused
the beer ont OF the cellar. 1t wasn't long be-;
fore didn't know what was going OIL. I
woke up the next morning feeling pretty
rocky. The first thing my wife, said
With o all wa" the 20 beer e i sent t'' for tho
night before. She said, that, at - O'Clock
man came around. and told her to
keep the saloon open until l came home, and
that wanted n key OF beer to sell to some
friends. Tho man got two more kegs in the
next two hours. 1 couldn't mako out what it
OF me- and i got friend Of mine to learn what
i was all about. VIII you believe II, that
around and got my beer and then sold it to me
over his bar. Whom asked him to pay me for
the beer he called mo a thief, and wanted to
lick me- Everybody laughed at me so that
had to get out Of the business. That's what
Somebody suggested game of cards, and in
twinkling the round tables were pulled out.
y few men played and tho rest looked on, max
Ing all sorts OF remarks. Occasionally a new
member of tho club dropped In, remained q
moment, and then disappointed. At IL o'clock
the cards were dropped md the men l earn ts
annual ball before the holidays. 49,
It's tho best time" said one Of them, be-
cause tho boys haven't spent all their money